Gareth Southgate shows same old shortcomings as England reach limit against Spain

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The Henri Delaunay trophy has been won by Spain for a record fourth time. England's long wait for victory will continue for at least 60 years, until the 2026 World Cup in America. It is uncertain if Gareth Southgate will still be the coach after a defeat that, while honorable, highlights larger issues.

England has now suffered defeat in two consecutive tournaments at the hands of stronger opposition.

This match was not like the Euro 2020 game against Italy where England missed out on a big opportunity, but it was another defeat against a top team. England are getting closer to success, but they are not quite there yet. The final score was 2-1, with Mikel Oyarzabal scoring the winning goal by just a few centimeters. It almost hurts more that the game was so close. Oyarzabal may have been an unexpected hero, but Spain was definitely not an unexpected champion. They have been the standout team of the tournament and truly deserved the win. They could have even won by a larger margin.

England were lucky that Spain didn't score more goals, with Jordan Pickford performing well. However, their streak of good luck came to an end as Spain ultimately had the edge. They didn't even miss Rodri, who got injured during the match.

So, just like when they lost to France in the previous World Cup, it was hard to criticize Southgate after the game. He might have made a mistake with the starting lineup, but his substitutions were correct and bold, and they paid off. Cole Palmer had a memorable moment in the game with his equalizer.

The main question that arises is whether something more is needed, whether a manager who focuses solely on results is not enough of a winner themselves. The same applies to Harry Kane, who seemed ineffective and out of shape once again and was substituted without making much of an impact. It may seem unfair to criticize such a talented player who has been a key figure in English football. Perhaps we should question how Spain managed to break through England's right side, which ultimately led to their victory. Both Nico Williams and Lamine Yamal, who was the man of the match and scored the first goal, appear to represent a new era for Spain. Their team plays cohesively to maximize their talent, whereas England's approach seems to limit their players to performing within their individual abilities. This was the main difference between the two teams and could have resulted in an even greater victory for Spain. Ultimately, it dictated the outcome of the entire game.

Despite any possible criticisms of Southgate's tactics, the presence of that pair of players ultimately influenced the decisions made by the England manager.

When playing against Spain, it is clear that their team will control the ball most of the time. While this may seem like an advantage for the opposing team, it actually makes it harder to come up with a successful strategy to beat them. Even though the game plan may be apparent, implementing it is the challenging part.

This means closing all gaps in your area to prevent Spain's midfielders from passing the ball through. England did this well for most of the game, which is why it was especially disappointing when goals were scored against them. For example, despite Kyle Walker being defeated by Nico Williams in the first half, John Stones made a great challenge to save the day.

Despite Spain consistently having a player covering each part of the field, England always had to ensure they had enough players defending their own area.

The intense battle between attacking and defensive tactics in the match started to get more aggressive and competitive. When Bukayo Saka was tackled by Dani Carvajal and fell to the ground, Carvajal mocked him by gesturing tears. The game was filled with collisions between players rather than fluid, open gameplay.

A unexpected incident occurred when Rodri got injured and had to leave the game at half-time. It felt like a significant turning point, leading to a sudden change in tactics at the start of the second half. Surprisingly, the shift in momentum favored England, particularly on their right side, instead of Spain.

In the past, Southgate's team was skilled at limiting the amount of space their opponents had, but they struggled to maintain that level of control in the recent match. Kyle Walker found himself in a vulnerable position, with Dani Carvajal making a clever play to set up Lamine Yamal. Despite being just 17 years old and new to the game, Yamal made a menacing move towards the center of the field. Meanwhile, Williams was speeding down Spain's left side like a train, and Yamal set up the perfect opportunity for him. Williams took advantage of the opportunity and scored a fantastic goal past Pickford.

It was very smooth and appropriate that a tournament where this pair had both performed well ended up coming together in the final.

The last match still needed to be won, and England had to step up their game. They needed more movement on the field, so Kane was replaced by Ollie Watkins. It's clear that the captain hasn't been at his best physically throughout the tournament.

The opportunities were being generated by Spain, even though. Dani Olmo missed a chance to score. Pickford made a good save from Yamal. However, there was a crucial moment when Spain's pass was too strong, ruining a potential attack.

These moments felt crucial and could potentially be detrimental. England needed to capitalize on the opportunity that presented itself. They had created openings, but needed a player to take advantage of Watkins's movements. Southgate made a bold decision by subbing in Cole Palmer swiftly.

When Marc Cucurella made a risky challenge, it gave England an opportunity. Jude Bellingham, who hadn't been very involved in the game, made a smart move by passing to Palmer. The forward took a shot from a long distance, which was difficult to control, but he managed to score despite a deflection that redirected the ball away from Unai Simon. The goal was still impressive.

England managed to get back into the game, but they were soon under pressure near their own goal again. This was not necessarily due to Southgate's tactics this time, but rather the way the game was unfolding. Spain continued to dominate possession, while Pickford continued to be called upon to make crucial saves.

The most frustrating part was how Spain scored their second goal. It happened on the right side once again. Cucurella made up for his mistake with a great cross, allowing Oyarzabal to score. Pickford had no chance this time.

England was in search of a breakthrough. They seemed close to scoring when Declan Rice headed the ball towards goal, causing chaos in the Spanish penalty area. Olmo was there to clear the danger.

The truth is, the better team came out on top. This is not a disappointment for England or Southgate, it's just the same story repeating itself. It shows that Europe doesn't have any new winners. The team with the most wins in the competition has once again emerged victorious.